


It's In The Cards

by grrriliketigers



Category: Scott & Bailey
Genre: F/F, Ficlet Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:35:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27482842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grrriliketigers/pseuds/grrriliketigers
Summary: The trials and tribulations and triumphs of the relationship between Gill Murray and Rachel Bailey.
Relationships: Rachel Bailey/Gill Murray
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	1. The Hierophant

**Author's Note:**

> These ficlets were all written for Femslashficlets @ Dreamwidth prompt table based on the Major Arcana of the Tarot, so that's why I called this It's In The Cards.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel needs Gill's approval, even moreso on the night when she discovers that Nick isn't going to be prosecuted.

Rachel hated herself for it but she desperately needed Gill's approval. She was sure that there were broader implications to be realized considering her own mother walked out on her and her siblings. Even when she resented Gill and her irritating ability to reduce Rachel to a sputtering mess, she adore her, longed for her to tell her that she was good and she was worthy. 

Gill had commiserated with her about what a bloody waste of space their supremely shitty exes had turned out to be and Rachel hadn't been able to stop thinking about this newfound kinship that she found in her boss. That was probably why she found herself standing in front of Gill's hotel room door. She'd gotten a taste of that approval she longed for and she needed another fix.

She knocked once, twice, three times and shoved her free hand into her pocket. She waited for a few long silent minutes, leaning against the door jamb before Gill opened the door. 

"Rachel?" She furrowed her brow, tightening the robe around her waist. 

"Can I come in?" 

"Yeah. Sure." Gill stepped back and let Rachel enter. "What's happened?" 

"Nothing." Rachel shook her head. "I just wanted to see you." 

Gill narrowed her eyes scrutinizingly. "Are you pissed?" 

Rachel scoffed. "No. I'm not even buzzed." She bristled. "I have to be pissed to want to see you?" 

"It's one in the morning, kid." Gill put her hands on her hips authoritatively. "I'm gonna need a bit more than 'I wanted to see ya' or you're gonna have to go." 

"Okay. Yeah. I wanted more than just to see you." Rachel admitted. Suddenly she wished that she was pissed because maybe she wouldn't be so tongue tied. She hadn't been with a woman since the professor in uni who tutored her privately in Maths. So, maybe she had a type when it came to women. 

"Well?" Gill demanded impatiently. 

Rachel steeled her resolve and closed the space between them and pressed a kiss to the shorter woman's lips. Gill's lips were soft and warm and Rachel's head swam with all sorts of thoughts. 

Gill cupped the back of Rachel's head and deepened the kiss. Rachel mmmed into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Gill and pressing her body against her. Rachel walked Gill backward toward the bed until her knees bumped the mattress. 

Gill broke the kiss breathlessly. "This stays here." 

"Yeah. Course." Rachel agreed, capturing her lips again and hoisting Gill up onto the bed. She liked being the bigger participant, she understood in that moment how intoxicating it can be to feel physically in control. Not that anyone _controlled_ Gill Murray in any sense of the word. 

Rachel covered Gill's body with her own, pushing her thigh between Gill's legs as the kiss deepened. Gill pulled Rachel's shirt up, exposing her back and Gill dragged short fingernails up and down pale skin, raising red scratch marks. Rachel moaned, pushing harder against Gill's center and Gill's hands went to Rachel's arse, pulling her closer and ground against her leg. 

Rachel broke the kiss and moved down Gill's body. She opened the sash of Gill's robe to find that the older woman slept in quite skimpy nightie and no pants. 

Rachel hiked one of Gill's legs up and her fingers quested up her inner thigh, tickling and teasing the sensitive skin and made contact with Gill's lust swollen lips and both women moaned desperately. Gill's cunt was already wet and ready for her and Rachel felt her own pussy throb with arousal. 

Rachel rolled over onto her back, laid her head on the pillows and tugged Gill forward. "Sit on my face, boss." 

Gill didn't have to be asked twice. Her knees landed astride Rachel's head and Rachel used her hands on Gill's arse to pull her close. For a moment, Rachel savoured the smell of the other woman. Gill smelled sweet and heady like mulled wine and Rachel was ready to get drunk on her. She dragged her tongue very slowly from the bottom of her pussy up to her clit where she flicked her tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves. 

Gill gasped under the attention, her hands already gripping the headboard. Rachel swirled her tongue around Gill's clit but avoiding anymore direct contact for the moment. She moved back to run her tongue around Gill's lips and then dipped her tongue inside her, lapping up her juices hungrily. 

"Oh, god, Rachel." Gill panted. 

Rachel responded with a moan against Gill's pussy and Gill moaned loudly. Rachel was phenomenally good at eating pussy and Gill realized that she shouldn't surprised because Sherlock was good at absolutely everything she put her mind to. 

Rachel's lips encircled Gill's clit and she started to suck very softly. Gill whimpered, her eyes fluttering shut. "Fuck..." Gill breathed. 

Rachel held onto Gill's hips tightly as she sucked harder on Gill's clit, drawing out moans and curses from the other woman. Gill's inner thighs trembled Gill's breath came out in ragged moans.

Suddenly Gill's orgasm washed over her and she cried out, her body jerking with each aftershock. She tried to pull back but Rachel held on tighter, continuing her ministrations and Gill bit her lip. "Oh fuck, Rachel... it's too much..." She protested breathlessly. 

Rachel gripped, short fingernails leaving ten little half moon impressions on the alabaster skin of Gill's arse. Gill almost screamed when a second orgasm took her by surprise. Rachel's tongue returned to Gill's pussy, drinking her in greedily. 

"Oh, my god, Rachel." Gill whimpered, every muscle in her body trembling, " _mercy_ , please." 

Rachel released her and Gill dropped down to the bed, the goose down duvet soft and cold on her heated skin. 

"Can you get drunk off come?" Rachel asked, grinning. "Because if so, you should bottle that." 

"Cheeky bugger." Gill laughed earnestly. 

"So, how was it?" Rachel asked, smiling lopsidedly. 

"Well, I can't move my legs, so I'd say it was fucking fantastic, Sherlock."


	2. The High Priestess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel and Gill need to be careful about letting too much slip about their relationship even though Rachel wants to shout it from the rooftops.

Rachel watched Gill conducting the briefing, her full attention on the older woman but not hearing any of the actual words. Her mind was miles away, still in that hotel room in Bristol where they had spent hours giving each other pleasure and taking care of each other in ways that the tossers they usually went for could never even fathom. They had promised that it would stay in Bristol; well, Gill asked her to promise and Rachel said yes because it was the answer that Godzilla wanted to hear. 

Rachel was mesmerized, watching Gill's lips move when she suddenly realized that her lips had just formed her name. She felt herself go pale and she sat up straight. "What?"

"You with us, kid?" Gill smirked.

Janet attempted to discreetly point to the paper in front of her to indicate to Rachel what Gill was asking her about. 

"Oh. Yeah. Um," she fumbled with her thoughts to contribute to the conversation. "Yeah, we organized the house to house but so far no one's talking and there're no surveillance cameras about either."

"Right. I think we'll leave it there." Gill stood up, gathering her papers in her arms. "Rachel. My office, please." 

Janet gave her a sympathetic grimace while the rest of the team oohed and ahhed teasingly. Rachel gave them the bugger off on her way to Gill's office. 

"Ma'am?" She asked innocently, hovering in the doorway. 

"Sit down. Shut the door." Gill leaned against her desk, crossing her arms and her ankles. 

Rachel shut the door, her eyes raking up and down her boss's thin but muscular legs and she sank down into the chair without breaking her gaze. 

" _Hey._ " Gill snapped and Rachel's eyes snapped up to meet Gill's finally. "What was that out there?" She demanded. 

"I... what?" Rachel shrugged helplessly, feigning ignorance. 

"What'd I fuck your brains out?" Gill asked sardonically. 

"Yeah, I think you did." Rachel chuckled.

"Kid, I'm not laughing." Gill shook her head. "You're gonna have to pull yourself together out there. I can't have you staring at me like some lovesick puppy. I can't have people thinking I go around shagging my subordinates like Dirty Dave." 

"Is that all it was to you?" Rachel frowned. 

"No, it wasn't." Gill admitted, softening. "But that's what it'll look like and we need to be smarter than that." 

"So are we going to do it again then?" Rachel asked, moving to the edge of her seat, getting closer to Gill. "Because that was probably the best shag of my life and definitely the first time I've been completely sober during sex in as long as I can remember." 

Gill watched Rachel intently, listening to her low, husky voice. 

"And, believe me, ma'am, I remember _every second_ of that night. Every moan, every bite, every scratch, every plea. Do you remember how many orgasms we had between us?"

"Seven." Gill answered without hesitation. 

Rachel grinned, nodding, "seven. So, the way I understand it, you still owe me one." 

There was a long contemplative pause before Gill pushed herself away from the desk and crossed behind it to sit at her desk. "Come to mine tonight at ten." She slid her glasses on. "Now get your head out of your arse and do your fucking job." 

"Yes, ma'am." Rachel agreed, standing up and exiting the office, unable to stop smiling. 

She sat down at her desk and Janet leaned closer. "What are you smiling about? It looked like you were getting quite the tongue lashing in there."

"Jesus, Janet!" Rachel laughed, scandalized, before realizing that Janet hadn't intended the innuendo. She shook her head, trying to return her expression to neutral. "Nothing. It's just what my face does." 

Janet leaned back in her chair, watching her face closely. "No, it isn't. You have no poker face, Rachel Bailey. Something's up." 

Rachel smiled again, leaning forward. "Shut up, I'll tell you later." 

A loud knock on glass startled them both and they looked over to see Gill at the window of her office, looking sternly at Rachel, giving her one halting slash of her pointer finger. 

Rachel shrugged helplessly and Gill tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. Rachel held up her hands in surrender and leaned back in her chair. Her phone dinged and she picked it up to see a text from Gill. 

[You can't tell Janet]

Rachel furrowed her brow and fired back a text. [Fuck off. I tell Janet everything]

The reply was quick. [I'm serious]

Rachel answered back. [Me too] 

Ten rolled around and Rachel was sat outside in her car in front of Gill's house, waiting for five past to not appear desperate. She cut the engine and walked up the steps and knocked confidently. 

Gill opened the door, stepping back and ushering her in. "Sammy's out for the evening." Gill said by way of greeting. "But you need to clear out by one." 

"Good evening to you too." Rachel teased. 

"Good evening." Gill couldn't help but smile, seeing Rachel's lopsided, earnest grin. She cupped the back of Rachel's head and pulled her down for a soft, sweet kiss. Gill may have been smaller than Rachel but she was not at all without her power. Rachel liked that too. 

Rachel wrapped an arm around Gill's lithe frame, pressing their bodies together and Gill bit her lip, willing her body to play a little bit hard to get but to no avail. 

Rachel kissed along Gill's jawline and Gill tilted her head to give her a better angle, exposing the supple flesh of her neck and Rachel felt the wild desire to bite and suck and leave deep purple marks, marking her territory for anyone to see but she was fully sober again and knew better. 

"Did you tell Janet?" Gill asked softly as Rachel's kisses ghosted over her pulse point. 

"No." Rachel admitted softly. "And it didn't feel good keeping it from her."

"Okay, you can tell Janet but _only_ Janet." Gill insisted.


	3. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gill's brush with death at the hands of Helen Bartlett lead Rachel to a series of realizations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst ahead!

"Helen!" Gill shouted desperately, feeling hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "Helen! Stay awake! Tell me about the trip!" 

She clawed at her restraint, trying to turn in her seat while she attempted to unbuckle the belt. "Don't close your eyes, Helen!" She demanded, her usually stern, matronly order coming out hoarse and cracking. 

She got the belt undone and she yanked it off, and grabbed the door handle spilling out of the car. She landed on the rocky ground, the pain in her knees shooting up her legs. "She needs an ambulance!" She shouted at the uniformed officers surrounding her car. "She's cut her wrists!" 

Gill scrambled to her feet, trying to pry open the back door but Helen had locked it. "Helen!" Gill slammed her fists dully against the tempered glass. There was so much blood. There was blood all over the back of the driver's seat and all over the back as Helen slumped over. "No! Helen! Wake the fuck up!"

"Ma'am!" A uniformed officer approached her cautiously. "I'm gonna call the ambulance, okay?" 

"Finally." She snapped impatiently. 

The officer spoke into his radio, "I need an ambulance to my location for a woman who's lost a lot of blood, unknown injury."

"She's cut her wrists." Gill snapped, pointing to Helen inside the car. 

"Ma'am. _You're_ bleeding." The officer explained in a firm but gentle tone. 

"I'm... no..." Gill looked down, suddenly feeling very cold and seeing the dark red stains on her clothing and the fresh drips down her legs. She reached up to touch her shirt and feeling that some of it was dried already. "When did..." 

Her knees wobbled and she started going down but the officer caught her before she hit the ground. 

** 

Rachel was feeling an uneasy sense of déjà vu, pacing outside a hospital afraid that someone she loved was going to die from a stab wound. At least this time Janet was with her. 

"I love her, Janet." Rachel announced. "And I'm not just saying it because she's dying. I really fucking love her." Rachel sniffled.

"I know you do, Rach." Janet rubbed her arm soothingly.

"I love her so much, I saw myself spending the rest of my life with her. Is that mad?" 

"No, it's not mad." Janet pulled her into a hug. "It's lovely." 

"It's over." Rachel let out a strangled sob. "She's never coming back, Janet, and I never told her I loved her. Do you think she knew?" 

"You can't give up yet." Janet insisted

"She lost so much blood, Janet." Rachel shook her head, tears welling up. "She's so small, she needs her blood." 

Janet chuckled and Rachel smiled wanly. "I pulled through and Gill will too; she's tougher than me. She's tougher than all of us." 

Rachel brought her cigarette to her lips with shaking hands. "I won't get her back too; I'm not that lucky. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop and here it is. I'm gonna lose her." 

"Maybe it's not luck, maybe it's your love that brings us back." Janet suggested. 

"Oh, piss off." Rachel laughed. 

"No, I mean it." Janet insisted. "Even when you're being a complete wanker and I'm so angry at you, I think about how much you love me and suddenly whatever I was angry about seems so trivial. We've only known each other a couple years but you're family, Rach, and I know how good it feels to feel loved by you. My girls, my mum, Ade, of course they love me, need me and wanted me to make it but you love me for absolutely no good reason and that's something that's worth fighting to get back to." 

"Of course I love you, you daft cunt." Rachel laughed, pulling Janet into a hug. "I couldn't imagine my life without you either." 

"And Gill knows that too." Janet said softly. "She's in there fighting to get back to you." 

"What am I gonna do if she doesn't make it?" Rachel asked, her voice cracking and big, heavy tears rolling down her cheeks. 

"Rachel?" A voice called out. 

"Oh god, it's Sammy." Rachel sobbed, trying to compose herself, wiping her eyes fruitlessly. "Am I wreck?" 

"Rachel?" Sammy stepped up to the two women. 

"Any news?" Janet asked gently, knowing Rachel was on the verge again. 

"She's out of theatre and they're letting family in." He explained somberly. "The doctor said it's still touch and go and she might need another surgery. I asked them to let you in, Rachel." 

"She told you?" Rachel's lips quivered. 

"She didn't have to." Sammy shook his head. "She's been really happy and I know she'd want you in there. She'd want you to..." Sammy fought back tears. 

Rachel rushed through the hospital, just short of running. The only words that she heard the whole time was the woman directing her to Gill's room. Rachel was at Gill's side before the door swung shut. 

Rachel sank into the chair next to the bed. Gill was intubated and IV'd and attached to the machine that was beeping her heartbeat rhythmically. Rachel took Gill's hand in hers and held it against her forehead. 

"I didn't want to cry in front of ya because I know I'm supposed to be being strong right now." Rachel apologized, fighting back tears. "You've gotta come back to me because I'm not strong enough to lose you, I can't do this without you, boss.

"You said I would've pulled myself together with Janet if you hadn't been there but I don't know that I would've because I'm not holding it together real well right now. 

"And you know something else? I'm done losing people I love. I'm done with it. So you're gonna have to come back because I'm not losing ya. You don't have a choice." 

Rachel looked up at Gill's face, holding her hand in both of her own, "I love you and I'm gonna marry ya so you have to come back."


	4. The Hanged Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gill decides not to return to MIT so that she and Rachel can have a real relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff ahead!

The Major Incident Team bustled like any other day, DCs chatted amongst themselves: bickering, laughing, collaborating. Gill observed her beloved team from the doorway unnoticed for a few long long minutes before Mitch finally caught sight of her and announced "ma'am!" in surprise. 

A hush fell over the room as all eyes landed on Gill. 

"Hiya." She smiled at the officers she'd been commanding for years, feeling a sudden wave of a sadness. "Alright, I'll just say what I have to say and then I won't darken your doorstep anymore." 

There were a few scattered chuckles, but the group watched Gill with rapt attention. It was the first time most of them had seen her brush with death and not long since Janet's own near death experience. 

"I'm on the mend, no permanent damage, but I have decided not to return to MIT. I have really loved this job and working with all of you and seeing you grow and I know you're all going to do great things. Thank you for putting up with me being your SIO - you're all the better for it, so..." She smiled and got the laugh she was hoping for. 

"I'm still on leave for another couple of months but I've accepted a position heading up the NPIA. So, if it turns out you're all utter shite at this job without me, I might be back to tell you what's what." 

"Alright, well, that's me outta here." She turned to Sherlock. "Rachel?" 

"Yeah?" Rachel looked up at her expectantly. 

Gill held out her hand. "Shall we?" 

Rachel grinned, pushing herself up from her desk and grabbing her coat. She took Gill's hand, turning back to the room as she reached the door. "See you tomorrow, lads." 

The door closed behind the two women and Rachel laughed. "And you call me a cheeky bugger." 

They had talked many times about how they would reveal their relationship and had agreed to let Gill do it. They had also agreed not to do it until Gill had officially accepted the job with the NPIA to eliminate the possibility of accusations of impropriety. Gill also had to bite the bullet and just tell everyone because a growing number of people already knew but Rachel was in the process of moving into Gill's. 

They had planned to wait for Sammy to move out but he had insisted that there was plenty of room and no need to wait, proving in that moment that he was an emotionally mature young person and was more Gill than Dave.

Gill's recovery had been as good as any one had expected it to be but it had been hard. It had been as hard on Rachel and Sammy as it had Gill and the two had bonded over being her primary aid and how hard it had been to see her in so much pain in the early days. 

She was lucky to be alive, her internal injuries had been worse than Janet's and there had been talk of her needing a partial lung transplant but she had healed on her own, surprising her doctors. But Gill had always been an overachiever so it didn't surprise anyone who knew her. Gill ended up getting away with an ungodly high number of stitches, half a liver, and a nasty case of PTSD. 

Rachel spent almost every night with her in the hospital to be there for when Gill awoke from the nightmares. Then she took a week's leave to help her settle in when she went home from hospital. 

Gill had really been surprised by the response from the young woman. Surely, she didn't want to be tied to someone who needed so much from her? But Rachel proved time and again that she was prepared to make all manner of sacrifice and that she was in it for the long haul. Gill's PTSD had lessened over time but Rachel still held her tight through the worst of it. 

Sammy had insisted on throwing a housewarming after Rachel had fully moved in and Alison had helped Sammy sort out the meal and Janet organized invitations and decorations. 

Sammy stood up while everyone was finishing up their pot roast and cleared his throat. "Alright, as host, I'd like to say a few words. My dad was never going to give me a halfway decent stepmum so, as usual, my mum picked up the slack." He lifted his glass, "so, I want to say welcome to the family, Rachel, and good pull, mum." 

Gillian guffawed. "Cheeky sod! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" 

Sammy leaned over and kissed his mother's temple and she patted his cheek. "But seriously, Rachel's awesome. Good pick, mum." 

"Here, here." Janet smiled. 

"Yeah, good pick if not a little age inappropriate, Murray." Julia teased. 

"Oy, Slap." Gill laughed, throwing a carrot at her friend. "Your jealousy's showing." 

Janet looked pointedly to Rachel, "speech, speech, speech!" 

Rachel feigned a put upon sigh as she stood up. "Thanks Sammy for putting this together, thanks Alison and Janet for helping out. Thanks _Gill_ for not smothering me in my sleep yet." 

"It's early days yet." Gill chuckled. 

"So, this is something I told Janet but you might not know. I actually proposed to you when you were in hospital. It was the first night and I told you I loved you for the first time and I asked you to marry me. You didn't say anything which was... pretty rude actually." Rachel smiled, taking Gill's hand. "And I'm still waiting for the answer." 

"Are you serious?" Gill furrowed her brow.

"As a heart attack, Godzilla." Rachel reached into her pocket and pulled out an opal ring in an ornate rose gold setting. "Gill Murray, will you marry me?" 

Gill smiled widely, almost bashfully, standing with a bit of effort and cupping Rachel's cheeks and pulling her in for a kiss. When the kiss broke Gill nodded, "yes." 

"Yeah?" Rachel grinned hopefully.

"Yeah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I considered killing Gill but I was like, you know what? 2020 sucks enough. I'm going to give them a happy ending.


	5. The Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gill and Rachel, two women who vowed they'd never tie the knot again after disastrous marriages, make the plunge.

Gill sat on the beach, her shoes discarded and her toes sinking into the cold sand, wind whipping her short hair and the waves of low tide crashing just meters away. 

"Hey." Julie greeted, putting a hand on her shoulder. 

"Hiya, Slap." Gill smiled. 

"I still say this was a very odd choice of venue." Julie lowered herself to the sand with a groan. "But the views are really spectacular." 

"Helen Bartlett had one good day here. Maybe the only good day she ever had." Gill said, staring off into the distance. "Maybe if the ambulance hadn't had to come for me, maybe they could have saved her. Maybe she could have had more good days." 

"The ambulance wouldn't have had to come for you if she hadn't _stabbed_ you." Julie corrected. "Don't take that on."

"I'm not. She was a mad bitch. She was entitled to be angry, she had a really shit hand dealt to her but what she did was not okay, what she did to me..." Gill drew in a shaky breath. "I still dream about it, Julie. Not the actual events but I still have these dreams where I wake up and I- and for a few minutes I feel like maybe I did die." 

"Oh, Gill..." Julie wrapped an arm around her. "I had no idea." 

"But that's why I wanted the wedding to be here. I wanted to take Flamborough Head back for both of us. I want Helen Bartlett to be at peace and I want to leave her here." 

** 

"This one is for keeps this time, right?" Alison asked Rachel, "you really are happy, aren't you?" 

"Truly, madly, deeply." Rachel admitted. 

"Oh, god, do _not_ sing, Rach, I'm _begging_ you." Janet protested playfully. "I really can't believe you want to get married again after what a shitshow it was divorcing Sean." 

"I went into that thinking that I was going to prison." Rachel scoffed. "This time we waited. We've been engaged for almost a whole year and we really want to do this. This isn't a knee jerk reaction like-" 

"Like everything you do in your whole entire life?" Alison supplied.

"Hey." Rachel laughed, "technically you raised me so whose fault is that if I'm a bit of a wanker?"

" _'A bit!'_ Listen to her!" Alison laughed. "Oy, speaking of who raised you, thanks for not inviting your mum this time around." 

"Believe it or not, I do learn from my mistakes occasionally." Rachel insisted. 

"Yeah, very occasionally." Janet winked at Alison.

"Hey, this is my hen do, aren't you meant to be nice to me?" Rachel scoffed a laugh. 

"I thought this was a roast!" Janet insisted. 

"That's why _I_ came." Alison laughed. 

"Alright, neither of you are speaking at the wedding tomorrow. I'm serious." Rachel shook her head. 

"I'm _officiating_ , Rach." Janet chuckled. 

"Nope, not anymore." Rachel shook her head, smiling, "we're just going to stand there in silence for a while and then we'll say our vows." 

A loud whistle pierced the air and Rachel looked to the source to see Gill who nodded toward the stairs. "That'll be the boss, time to go." She downed the last of her wine. "Who's got the tab? Aww, thanks, Janet. That's sweet of you." 

"Well played, Rachel Bailey..." Janet laughed, shaking her head. She signaled the waiter and held up her credit card. 

Gill held out her hand and Rachel accepted it, letting Gill lead her up to their room. 

"You smell amazing. You smell like the ocean and fresh air." Rachel cupped Gill's cheeks and drew her in for a soft, sweet kiss. 

Gill nipped at Rachel's lip and then took her hands, "I have to tell you something." She encouraged her back until she was just in front of the settee. "Sit." 

"Okay..." Rachel sank down onto the cushion. 

"Pillow?" Gill asked, holding out her hand and Rachel handed her the little round pillow and Gill dropped it onto the floor, sinking to her knees in front of Rachel. 

"When you proposed to me at the housewarming," she said, grabbing Rachel's slacks by the hem and tugging them down. Rachel lifted her ass to help Gill pull her trousers and pants off. "You said that the first time you told me you loved me was when I was in hospital, just out of theatre." 

"Yeah, it was." Rachel insisted. 

"No, it wasn't." Gill used her fingers to tease Rachel's opening, drawing a soft groan from the young woman. "The _first_ time you said you loved me..." She leaned in and dragged her tongue slowly up Rachel's pussy, ending with a flick against her clit and Rachel gasped. 

"Was the first time I went down on you." Gill finished. 

"No... I said 'I love _that_.'" Rachel insisted. 

Gill shook her head. "You may have _meant_ to say 'that' but you definitely said 'you.'" 

"The first time you went down on me was like two weeks into us shagging and me saying I loved ya didn't freak you out?" Rachel questioned. 

"It did a little." Gill admitted, running her hands up and down Rachel's thighs. "I think I already knew I was in up to my eyeballs with you and I was riding the ride wherever it was going to take me." 

"Well, it's brought you here." 

"Mhm, and it's brought me here..." she purred before sinking her tongue into Rachel. 

"Oh, god, I love you." Rachel panted, lifting her hips encouragingly. 

Gill smiled while bringing her tongue up to swirl around Rachel's clit. She did it again, whether she meant to say you or that, this time she didn't wonder if she had actually meant it. She had two gold claddagh rings in her suitcase that they were going to exchange tomorrow on the beach after being together for almost two years. 

As she listened to Rachel's pants and moans and felt Rachel's fingers gripping and ungripping fistfuls of her hair, she couldn't help but fall more deeply in love.


End file.
